Wounds
by love.always.forever.1335
Summary: Raph is injured and Donatello is the only one around to take care of him. Rated T for mild TCest


Donatello was hard at work in his lab. He had been spending every waking minute trying to figure out the true intent of the Kraang on Earth. Every little piece of the puzzle gets them one step closer to eliminating the Kraang for good. Unfortunately, Donnie had still been missing many important pieces. He was about to save his current document when he heard a labored groaning from the entrance of the lair. Confused, Donnie poked his head out of his lab to examine his surroundings. He was the only one home right now. Raph had left before sunrise and Splinter, Leo, and Mikey had gone deep into the sewers to search for anything they may need in the lair. Donnie stayed behind to continue his work with the Kraang.

"Hello?" Donnie asked grabbing his Bō staff for self-defense. He slowly exited his lab to explore the lair. Upon entering the living room, he saw Raphael limping to the sofa. "Raph!" he shouted concernedly. Donnie threw his staff across the room and ran to help his brother. Raph looked pretty shaken up. He held his arm up against his plastron. He appeared to have a limp and was bleeding from many different parts of his body. "Here, let me help you," Donnie stood behind Raph and went to support him.

"Just go away, shell brain, I would rather anyone else help me." Raph refused Donnie's help.

"There's no one else here Raph. Leo, Splinter, and Mikey all went into the sewers to look for things we can use down here." Donnie explained annoyed with Raph's stubbornness

"Then I can take care of myself." Raph stumbled and almost fell to the floor. Luckily, Donnie caught him mid-fall and supported Raph's weight with his shoulder.

"Just let me help you. You're hurt pretty badly." Donnie begged only wanting what was best for his brother.

Raph resisted a while longer. But Donatello would not give up so easily. He continued to beg and insist on helping him. Eventually, the pain Raph felt became so unbearable that he could no longer stand it. Raph stumbled and Donnie caught him mid-fall yet again, "Alright, please help me. Everything hurts, Donnie." He let a small sob escape his throat.

"Thank you. I promise I will make everything all better." Donnie escorted Raph into his room and laid him down on his bed. Raph moaned in pain when Donnie set him on the bed. Donnie felt bad. He had never seen Raph so helpless and willing to cooperate.

Donnie ran off for a moment only to retrieve his first-aid kit. When he returned, he examined each of Raph's injuries closely, cleaning off any excess or dry blood, "What happened to you, anyways? You are really beat up."

"I was attacked by foot ninjas." Raph mumbled embarrassed that such amateurs had beaten him.

"Foot Ninjas? Those guys are nothing. You've taken on dozens of them by yourself before without obtaining a scratch." Donnie chuckled a little.

"It's not funny, Donnie. I just wasn't paying attention and they caught me off guard." Raph winced as Donnie applied Hydrogen Peroxide to his wounds.

"I'm sorry. I know it stings, but it will kill any infections." Donnie apologized as he continued to apply the stinging liquid, "It's not like you to not be paying attention. What had you so focused that you didn't hear them coming?"

"Donnie, they're ninjas too. They have the element of surprise on their side. We aren't the only ninjas in New York." Raph snarled through the pain.

"Which in itself is odd enough." Donnie looked up and smiled at his brother. He tried to cheer him up. But Raph would have none of it. He sat on his bed with a pout on his face as Donnie wiped him clean. He was beyond humiliated to have been defeated by foot ninjas, but then to need to be repaired by his brother…he was practically mortified.

"What happened to your ankle?" Donnie asked noticing its swollen purple state.

"I landed on it the wrong way when I retreated." Raph admitted; he couldn't possibly be any more embarrassed.

Donnie tried to stifle his laughter. Everything about Raph's story was so…unlike Raphael. The Raphael that Donnie had known all his life always paid attention to everything and always made sure to land on his protected knees.

Donnie jokingly pressed the back of his hand on Raph's forehead, "You feeling okay?" He asked with a smirk, "You don't have a fever."

"Cut it out, Donatello." Raph struggled to move Donnie's hand but the pain was too unbearable. Raph shed a single tear of pain that he tried to hide from Donnie. However, Donnie was not so oblivious.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Donnie frowned while wiping Raph's legs. Raph just nodded in response, "Don't worry Raph. I'll have you all fixed up in a little bit, then you can rest some."

Donnie wrapped Raph's ankle in multiple layers of elastic medical bandages to keep it from getting worse, "You're gonna have to stay off that leg for a few days." He said as he examined Raph's shoulder, "What hurts here?"

"Everything." Raph winced when Donnie put his hand on his shoulder.

Donnie pulled away almost as fast as reflex, "sorry" he muttered "I'm gonna need to bandage that somehow."

Raph nodded in understanding and bit his lower lip to stifle the sounds of pain as he extended his arm to grant Donnie further access. Donnie was gentle when he cleaned and wrapped Raph's arm up in gauze and put it in a make-shift sling. "Does that feel any better?" Donnie asked as he finished tying the sling together.

Raph took a deep breath to let out the pain. "A little bit."

"Does anything else hurt?"

Raph shook his head and eased himself back in his bed. Donnie pulled the covers over Raph's body and made sure Raph was comfortable. When Donnie was completely sure that Raph was taken care of, he made a move to leave the room.

"Wait, Donnie. Could you maybe…" Raph stopped mid-sentence a little embarrassed.

"What is it, Raph?" Donnie turned around and took a step closer to Raph's bed.

"Could you, just stay here, for a little bit." Raph's cheeks picked up a slight red pigment as he turned his head away from Donnie's concerned glare.

Donnie smiled a little, closed the door, and walked back over to his brother, "No problem. I'll stay as long as you need me to." Donnie said sitting down on the foot of Raph's bed.

"I just…I want you to..." Raph was at a loss for words.

"You don't have to explain yourself, Raph. I know what you mean." Donnie sent Raph a half smile.

Raph's blush deepened to a shade almost as dark as his mask. He had never been nice to Donnie, but for some reason that he would never fully understand, Donatello was always nice to him. Even just 30 minutes ago Raph had refused Donnie's help giving him attitude and calling him names. And now, Donnie was willingly sitting on the edge of Raph's bed. "Thanks." Raph rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, "For everything, Donnie."

"No need to thank me. It's what brothers do." Donnie smiled placing his hand on Raph's upper thigh. Raph's frail body shuddered at the touch and Donnie quickly pulled his hand away.

"No, no! Don't move. That felt kinda nice." Raph closed his eyes unwilling to see Donnie's facial expression. He soon felt Donnie touch return to his leg and a sensation of comfort came over him.

A small hum of pleasure pursed through Raph's lips as he snuggled deeper into the covers, "Are you tired Raph?" Donnie asked noticing his brother's alpha wave state.

Raph nodded, "But please don't go anywhere. I feel comfortable when you're here." He couldn't help but admit. The purple clad turtle blushed slightly. He was not embarrassed that Raph wanted him to stay, but more grateful that he didn't have to go. Donnie climbed up the bed and sat closer to Raph's head, stroking the side of his face to lull him to sleep.

"I'm not going anywhere," Donnie smiled in a sweet and loving tone.

Raph put his hand on Donnie's knee. "Promise?" A slight pain overcame him as he struggled to make eye contact with Donnie.

Donatello looked his brother straight in the eyes and held tightly onto Raph's hand, "I promise." The words flowed from his mouth in such a way that Raph couldn't help but shed a tear. Donnie's finger swiftly wiped the tears away as they fell.

"No, please don't cry." Donnie whispered. The tears stopped almost instantaneously and Raph smiled. "Now try to rest. I'll be here the whole time."

Raph sighed to relax himself and his eyes slipped closed without warning. A few minutes later, Raph's breathing evened out and Donnie could tell that he was asleep. Donnie didn't want to go back on his promise, so he stayed there, watching over Raph lovingly. He made sure that Raph slept in such a way that he would not apply pressure to his injured ankle or shoulder. Yes, Donnie had a lot of work to do in his lab, but he made a promise. And a promise is a promise, even if it meant staying with Raph.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX

About an hour later, Mikey, Leo, and Splinter returned to the lair.

"Donnie! Raph!" Mikey shouted as he dropped a large garbage bag on the ground.

"In here." A hushed voice came from the direction of Raphael's room.

Mikey and Leo went to Raph's room to investigate further. They walked in to find Raph asleep and Donnie sitting beside him.

"What happened to Raph?" Leo asked noticing the multitude of bandages wrapped around Raphael.

"Raph faced the Shredder by himself. He's lucky he made it back alive." Donnie quickly lied. Raph was already in enough physical pain, he didn't need Leo and Mikey making fun of him for being beaten by foot ninjas.

Mikey's eyes enlarged in awe, "Wow. The shredder. All by himself."

Leo walked closer to Raph and put his hand on his shoulder. He smiled a little, impressed with his brother's bravery, "You idiot. You could have gotten yourself killed." He said laughing a little.

"I took care of his injuries, but he is still pretty weak." Donnie admitted, "He's been asleep for about an hour or something."

"And you've just sat there with him this whole time?" Leo questioned

"I promised him I wouldn't leave." Donnie blushed a little.

"Aww, so sweet." Mikey smiled jokingly, obviously concealing laughter.

"It's not funny Mikey, Raph is seriously hurt and he needed someone." Donnie barked back.

Splinter entered the room seconds later, "What is this I hear about an injury?" He asked worriedly.

"Raphael fought the Shredder, sensei. He got hurt pretty badly." Mikey answered.

Splinter rushed to Raphael's side and checked his vitals, "All seems well."

"I already took care of him, Sensei. He's been asleep for an hour." Donnie proudly announced.

"Well done, Donatello." Splinter congratulated his son, "You may very well have saved his life." He threw the situation out of proportion, as he did every situation involving the Shredder.

"Thanks, sensei." He smiled.

"Now, come, my sons. We must let Raphael rest in peace." Splinter turned towards the door.

"I can't leave Sensei. I have to stay with Raph." Donnie argued his father's commands.

"You have done well, Donatello, but you owe him nothing more. He must heal on his own now." Splinter explained in a calm voice

"It's not that I want to stay here, sensei. I have to; I made a promise to Raph that I would be here when he wakes up." Donnie explained, slightly embarrassed.

Splinter cocked his brow before stroking his thin beard, "Very well. You made a promise. And a promise you value keeping. You can stay." He smiled, "Michelangelo, Leonardo, come with me. We must put away the items we found in the sewers."

"Hai sensei." The two said in unison as they followed their teacher out of Raphael's room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX

Raphael moaned as he slowly opened his eyes. The dim light caught him off guard as he shot his eyes open.

"How do you feel?" Donnie asked, still sitting in the position he was in when Raph fell asleep.

"Better. Everything still hurts, but less than it did before." He tried sitting up in the bed, only to be assisted by Donnie, "How long was I asleep?"

"Three hours," Donnie answered

Raph looked surprised, as if he had only expected it to be thirty minutes, "And you stayed here this whole time?"

Donnie nodded, "I promised I would."

Raph smiled and made an attempt to hug his brother, "Thanks Donnie."

Donnie returned the hug and held his brother close in his arms, "No problem."

Leo, having heard voices from inside the room, opened the door to see Raphael awake. He smiled ear to ear: "Raph, you're alright. Donnie told us about your fight with Shredder. You are lucky you made it back alive."

Raph looked confused at first. He looked up at Donnie with a sense of understanding. He smiled a little, "Yeah. It was pretty bad. But thankfully Donnie was here to take care of me."

"I'll go tell Splinter you're awake. He wants to know all about how you managed to escape the Shredder single handedly. Come out when you're ready then." Leo rushed out of the room.

"You told them I fought the Shredder?" Raph asked in a shocked tone, "You lied to sensei?"

"I knew they'd make fun of you if I told them it was foot ninja's…I just wanted you to feel good and not humiliated." Donnie admitted.

Raph smiled, "Why do you do it Donnie. Why are you always so nice to me? Why do you care so much about me?" He couldn't wonder any longer.

Donnie blushed turning his head away from his red masked brother. After a few seconds of thinking, Donnie pulled Raph's head closer to his and forced their lips to meet. Raphael didn't refuse as Donnie expected he would. Instead, he leaned in deeper and closed his eyes to savor every minute they were one.

Donnie broke off the kiss and looked Raph deep in his eyes, "I love you, Raph." He whispered, meaning it as the answer to his questions.

Raph, still shocked at what he had just done, blushed. He wasn't ashamed at what happened; he was ashamed that he wanted more. He never wanted the feeling of Donnie's lips pressed against his to end. "I love you too, Donnie." He whispered, not as emotionally as Donnie, but Raph was never the emotional type.

Donnie smiled, "C'mon. Sensei wants to hear all about how you took on Shredder." He stood off the bed and held his hand out to help Raph off the bed. Raph smiled devilishly and accepted Donnie's hand, not yet willing to leave the comfort of his room. "I'm not ready yet." He mustered up as much strength as he could to pull Donnie back onto the bed. Donnie, being considerably lighter than the rest of his brothers, fell back on the bed without much argument. Raph turned to look his brother in the eyes and dove into another kiss, slowly stroking Donnie soft skin.

Donnie did not refuse and allowed Raph's lips to caress his own. When Raph pressed for entrance into his mouth, Donnie quickly obliged opening his mouth to explore Raphael's. The two broke for air eventually and for air only. Donnie, trying to catch his breath, again insisted on leaving to see Splinter. "We can come back in later and have more fun then."

Raph was ecstatic to hear Donnie refer to this love as fun. He wanted nothing more than stay in his room and love Donatello. But he realized that he did have to talk to Splinter…lie to Splinter he sighed, holding his arm out waiting for Donnie to help him stand. Donnie smiled and quickly got underneath his brothers arm, holding his weight on his shoulder. Donnie quickly pecked Raph's cheek before he began leading Raph out of his room. Donatello managed to escort Raph into the kitchen where Splinter sat waiting for Raphael's explanation of the day's events.


End file.
